Monday, January 23, 2017

Looking Forward to January 29, 2017 -- Sabbath Controversy

Early Thoughts: How do we use the tools, traditions, and rituals of our faith to best serve the cause of love?

Do those rules, tools, traditions and rituals sometimes get in the way of the life of love?

Then what do we do?

Sabbath observance is there to serve the people of God. Sabbath observance is there because we know that we are healthier when we are on "on" 24/7. Sabbath also helps us remember that we are not in control, that God is.

That is all and good. But what if we lose sight of the ultimate goal? OR what if the balance point is hard to find?

That is where the text takes us this week. Jesus is in a debate with others about how Sabbath ties in to the life of love.

Jesus reminds his opponents that God trumps Sabbath, that grace and mercy trump rules. Jesus reminds us that caring for each other trumps all else.

Sabbath is a vital part of what it means to be Jewish. To this day Sabbath is a central pillar of Jewish faith. I think it is safe to say that Sabbath-keeping is no longer a central part of what it means to be Christian in Western society. But I suspect the principle about rules vs. people is still at stake.

We are often called to see where the life of love leads us to endorse and follow rules and traditions and rituals as they have been passed down to us. We are also challenged to know when those things need to be recast, or put aside. And it is often unclear which is which.
--Gord